The present disclosure is directed to a pullout guide, for example, for a dishwasher, another domestic appliance, or a piece of furniture, having a stationary guide rail and a slide rail supported on the guide rail so it is movable, wherein a damping device having a linear damper which acts on one side is provided on the guide rail, which has a damper housing and a piston rod, which can be pushed into and drawn out of the damper housing, wherein during a closing movement of the slide rail, a first activator acts on the damping device shortly before reaching a closed position to decelerate the movement of the slide rail, and a dishwasher or another domestic appliance having a rail-guided drawer element.
EP 2 422 682 B1 discloses a dishwasher having a damping device for damping a movement of a dish rack, wherein the damping device has a cylindrical housing and a piston, which divides the housing. The piston can be moved in this case during the pulling out via a first plate in a first direction and can be moved via a second plate in a direction opposite to the first direction during the pushing in of the dish rack, in order to provide damping forces. The damper housing is formed open on opposing sides, and therefore the sealing of the damper housing is problematic, in particular if larger damping forces are to be provided by pressure differences. Moreover, the damper is only active when the dish rack has been moved into the maximally open position, in order to displace the piston rod in relation to the housing.
Furthermore, D E 2013 114 309 A1 discloses a retraction and damping unit, which is installable on a middle rail of a pullout guide. A first activator is provided on the slide rail and a second activator is provided on the stationary guide rail for damping in the maximally open position and in the closed position. A comparatively large installation space is required due to the movement of the pullout and damping unit together with the middle rail.
Furthermore, DE 10 2013 222 576 A1 discloses a pullout guide for a domestic appliance, in which a retraction assembly is provided, via which a wash item receptacle is movable into a closed position. The retraction device has a spring element and a damping element in this case, in order to decelerate the wash item receptacle and hold it in the closed position. Damping in the opening direction is not provided, and therefore an abrupt standstill with impact noises on the dishes occurs during an opening movement of the wash item receptacle.
The present disclosure is directed to a pullout guide, for example, for a dishwasher, which is constructed compactly and ensures deceleration of the slide rail before reaching an end position both in the closing direction and also in the opening direction.
A pullout guide according to the present disclosure has a linear damper which acts on one side, which is fixed on the guide rail, i.e., is arranged so it is stationary. The damping device can become active via a first activator during a closing movement of the slide rail shortly before reaching a closed position, while during an opening movement of the slide rail, a second activator acts on the damping device shortly before reaching the maximally open position in order to decelerate the movement of the slide rail. The damping device can thus become active both in the opening direction and also in the closing direction using the linear damper which acts on one side.
A redirection mechanism may be provided to cause a movement of the second activator in the opening direction into the movement of a stop acting on the linear damper in the closing direction. The terms “opening direction” and “closing direction” relate in this case to the movement of the slide rail of the pullout guide which is moved from the respective end positions in the opening or closing directions. Since the linear damper acts on one side, a movement of the second activator in the opposing direction can be effectuated via the redirection mechanism. For this purpose, a rotatably supported redirection lever is preferably provided. The rotatably supported redirection lever can have in this case a first arm, which can be engaged with the second activator, and a second arm arranged on the opposite side of the axis of rotation, which acts directly or indirectly on the linear damper via a stop. To be able to move the redirection lever back into a starting position after an actuation of the linear damper, it can be coupled to the stop. For example, the redirection lever can engage with the second arm in a receptacle of a linearly guided stop, which acts on the linear damper, and therefore the redirection lever is pivoted in the one direction or the opposing other direction during a movement of the stop.
In a further embodiment, the linear damper is designed as a compression damper, in which damping forces are only generated as the piston rod is pushed into the damper housing. Alternatively, the linear damper can also be designed as a traction damper, in which damping forces are only generated as the piston rod is pulled out of the damper housing. In the case of a linear damper which acts on one side, a damping force is provided in a first movement direction of the piston rod, while smooth movement of the piston rod in relation to the damper housing is possible in the opposing movement direction. If the linear damper is designed as a compression damper in this case, the damper housing can be made cup-shaped, i.e., it can be closed on the side opposite to the piston rod, and therefore no problems occur upon sealing, even if high pressures are present in the region of the cup-shaped housing as the piston rod is pushed in. Only the region around the piston then has to be sealed, which is possible more easily because of the protected arrangement of the piston inside the damper housing.
The damping device may have a spring, in order to draw or press the piston rod out of the damper housing in the unloaded state. The spring can be arranged both in the damper housing and also outside the damper housing in this case, in order to move the linear damper into a starting position in the unloaded state.
The linear damper can be designed, for example, as a fluid, air, or gas damper in this case, in which the respective medium flows through constricted overflow channels during movement of the piston rod in the damping direction and exerts a damping or decelerating effect at the same time, and wherein during the movement of the piston rod opposite to the damping direction, the overflow channels are widened and thus a damping or decelerating effect does not occur or is reduced.
In a further embodiment, the first activator is fixed on the slide rail. This activator then ensures the damping in the closing direction. A second activator may be arranged on a middle rail, which is provided between the guide rail and the slide rail of the pullout guide. The second activator is then active in the opening direction, shortly before the slide rail has reached the maximally open position.
The damping device may be fixed via a housing on the guide rail, for example, a housing made of plastic, on which the damper housing is locked. Vice versa, of course, the piston rod can also be fixed via the housing on the guide rail, and therefore the first or second activator acts on the damper housing and causes its movement in relation to the guide rail.
In a further embodiment, a self-retractor is provided, by means of which the slide rail is movable in the closing direction shortly before reaching the closed position. The self-retractor can have a driver movable along a housing in this case, which is pre-tensioned by a force accumulator in the closing direction. The self-retractor may be active only in the movement range shortly before the closing position in this case, but not before reaching the maximally open position. To ensure that the self-retractor is only active in the region of the closed position, the driver of the self-retractor can act on a movable stop, by means of which the linear damper is actuable. This stop can also be actuated in this case by the second activator in the opening direction, while the driver of the self-retractor remains functionless during a movement of the slide rail in the opening direction.
The pullout guide according to the present disclosure may be used in a domestic appliance, for example, in a dishwasher, in particular if two pullout guides are fixed on opposing sides of an interior. Drawer elements, which can be designed as dish racks in dishwashers, can then be movably supported via the pullout guide. A use in furniture or other domestic appliances having rail-guided food supports or containers is also possible.
It is also possible not to attach the pullout guides directly on the side walls of a dishwasher or furniture body, but rather on variable-position lever mechanisms, which are in turn linked on the side walls. Such a lever mechanism is disclosed, for example, in DE 202009004771 U1. In this manner, the functionality of this invention may also be transferred to dish racks or movable furniture parts, which can change not only the horizontal position, but rather also the vertical position in relation to the dishwasher housing or furniture body.